Heating and ventilating unit



Jan. 22, 1935. R NELSON 1,988,745

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT Filed July 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l R. H. NELSON Jan. 22, 1935.

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT I Filed July 30, 1932 4 SheetsSheet 2 a j; v, I: E w

i Q 1 N Q weair fiwmwlm %Mfl9/Iw Jan. 22, 1935. R. H. NELSON I'IELA'IIIIC? AND VENTILATING UNI'I Filed July 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 22, 1935. R NELSON 1,988,745

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT Filed July so, 1932 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 22, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT Richard H. Nelson, Moline, Ill., assignor to The Herman Nelson Corporation, Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,403

9 Claims.

During recent years a demand has arisen that heating and ventilating units of the class to which the present invention pertains shall make provision for the complete concealment of all piping, traps and connections associated with the unit, with a view of beautifying the appearance of the apparatus and enabling it more perfectly to harmonize with its surroundings. With this end in view, certain structures at present on the market have been modified simply by an end- .Wise extension of the cabinet to house such connections, but without any effort to reconstruct the interior arrangement of the cabinet, with a view to the making of provision for housing the piping connections without materially enlarging the overall dimensions of the cabinet.

The present invention is directed primarily to the redesigning of the structure as a whole, with especial reference to the-space requirements for ,the-pi'pe connections, traps and couplings, and of utilizing space within the cabinet which is not required for the housing of the fan and motor assembly and the radiator and filter, which constitute the essential constituents'in a unit of this character.

Heretofore, in standard units, it has been customary to locate the fan below the radiator, which necessitated the vertical extension of the pipes and connections past the fan chamber and up to the level of the radiator, thereby necessitating the employment of space which in the cabinet of the present invention is used to better advantage.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the radiator is located below and the fan group above, and in view of the-fact that the best present practice requires a fan assembly which is normally longer .than the radiator, it is possible, by locating the radiator below, to utilize space below the ends of the fan assembly and within the overall length of the space required for the fans, so that adequate provision is made for housing and concealing the piping without any increase in the overall length of the cabinet over and above that required for the operation of the main constituents of the apparatus. This reconstruction permits the cabinet to be constructed in more compact and sightly form than would otherwise be the case, and enables variations in design to be introduced, with the result that it is possible to improve the ap-v pearance of the cabinet in such a way as to enable it to harmonize with the furnishings of a room in an attractive and distinctive manner.

- The present invention is directed to the construction and arrangement of the cabinet and operating parts in conformity with the plan or principle above outlined.

Further details will appear from a description of the invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view with the top or cover plate removed;

Fig. 5 is an interior view of the cabinet with the front panel removed and the end doors swung open;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevationtaken on line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the front corners of the cabinet;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail inelevation of one of the corners of the cover plate;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the front panel and the edge of one of the end doors; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail showing the coop-'- erative relation of the swinging damper to the associated portions of the cabinet.

The housing as a whole is in the form of a cabinet of generally rectangular dimensions, comprising a rectangular back plate 20, a front panel 21, a removable top plate 22, and swinging end doors 23-23. The front panel is of less length than the rear panel and of less vertical dimensions, so that its lower edge stands above the level of the floor, with its upper edge slightly below the level of the upper edge of the rear plate.

\ The housing is'covered by the top plate 22 which is provided with a corrugated or beaded flange 24- which furnishes an attractive finish for the top plate and serves materially to stiffen it.

The end doors are of arcuate or curving formation, and the adjacent edges of the top plate are similarly curved, which gives a rounded configuration to the front corners of the cabinet, but it will be understood that this rounding of the corners, although preferable for structural reasons as well as in matter of design is not an essential requirement in the present invention.

The end doors are each secured by a hinge connection 25 to the respective ends of the back plate, so that they can be swu'ng from the closed position indicated in Fig. 4 to the open position indicated in Fig. 5 to expose the interior of the cabinet at the ends thereof. A complete exposure of the by a centrally located motor 29. The fans and motor are all secured to and suspended from the top plate 22, sothat the entire assembly can be removed as a group should occasion require.

In order to avoid noisy operation at excessively high speed, and at the same time secure adequate capacity, it is preferred to use a group of four fans operable at comparatively slow speed, and to arrange the fans so that the fan group will extend substantially from end to end of the cabinet. This grouping arrangement, therefore, extends lengthwise in greater degree than is required for the housing of a light weight radiator of adequate capacity to heat the air drawn upwardly therethrough by fans. In the present instance, the radiator is of rectangular formation and of substantially less length than the cabinet, but of relatively reduced vertical dimensions, and of a width substantially equal to the depth of the cabinet from front to rear.

The radiator comprises a pair of end headers 31 and 32, the former of which constitutes an intake header which is supplied with steam through piping and connections 33, the details of which form no portion of the present invention, but'which are fully described and illustrated in my companion application, Serial No. 634,735 filed that the intake connections occupy considerable space at the left hand end of the cabinet and below the left end of the fan chamber and within the space enclosed by the associated swinging end door, which may be opened to regulate or adjust the supply connections as occasion may require. In likemanner, the return header 32 is connected with a return pipe 34 through suitable traps and connections which need not be here described in detail, but which are described in the companion application previously referred to. nections are accessible through the opening of the right hand end door.

The radiator 30, with its headers, and with the connecting pipes 35 and fins 36-, occupies an intermediate position between the fan chamber 26 and what may be termed the intake chamber 37 at' the base of the cabinet. The radiator rests upon and is supported by a frame which comprises end frames 38-38 connected by tie rods or bars 39. The end frames are of open rectangular formation (see Fig. 7) and are closed by plates 40 which are screwed or bolted to them, thus affording within the frame and below'the radiator a space for the reception of a filter 41 of half-arch configuration, through which the air must be drawn before it reaches-the radiator.

Each of the end frames at its rear lower corner is extended to furnish an integrally formed rear leg 42, while in corresponding positions at the front of each of the end frames is secured a front leg 43 provided with an inwardly extended bracket arm 44, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower edge of the end frame, which as shown is of angle configuration to afford a broad surface for the support of the radiator above and for the attachment of the plate 40, as well as for the attachment of the rear plate 20, which These con-' plate 20 extends upwardly a considerable distance above the level of the end frames 38.

In order to wall off the space occupied by the pipe connections from the fan chamber above, a partition plate 45 is provided at each end, the forward edge of which is rounded to afford contact with the rounding surface of the associated swinging end door, so that when the doors are closed, they will be backed and reinforced by the partition plates 45, which also serve to prevent any suction of air through the end spaces and to direct the travel of all of the air through the radiator. The partition plates 45 are secured to and supported from the respective radiator head- 'ers 31 and 32.

As shown in Fig. 4, the free edge of each of the end doors is formed to afford a channel 46, which receives a felt sealing strip 47 for contact with the edge of the front panel when the door is closed, and in order to adequately seal the front panel, it likewise is provided with a felt sealing strip 48 which bears against the front flanged face of the proximate end frame 38. The front panel is itself reinforced by means of upper and lower back frames 49 of angle strips, which reinforcing frames are of proper dimensions to permit the front panel to fit snugly in place to fill the. front opening in the cabinet.

The upper edge 50 of the front panel is folded over and carries a sealing strip 51 which bears against the lower margin of a plate 52, which depends from the cover plate 22 (see Fig. 7), and affords a firm bearing surface for the upper edge of the front panel, while the lower edge 53 of the front panel is similarly configured and provided with a sealing strip 54 which bears against the front fiange of a channel plate 55 upon which the lower edge of the arch shaped filter rests (see Fig. 6) and which extends between the plates 40 secured to the end frames 38 of the structure. These details of construction can be varied or modified without departing from the principles of the present invention.

which will permit of the inflow of air around the motor and into the adjacent fans, thereby main- .taining a circulation of air for cooling purposes.

The rear wall 20 is apertured to receive an inlet duct 61 which admits air into the inlet chamber .37 in thebase of the cabinet, beneath the filter 41. The inlet of'air is controlled by inlet dampers 62 which coact with a regulating damper 63 pivoted to a shaft 64 journalled through the rear legs 42 of the inner frame, and so arranged as to bring the free edge of the controlling damper into closely spaced proximity to the curving wall of the filter, so that all of the air admitted either through the inlet port or from beneath the cabi-' net will be directed through the filter, irrespective of the adjustment of the regulating damper. In this way, whether the air be admitted exclusively through the outdoor inlet port or from the room for recirculation, in all cases the filter will be used to its maximum capacity, and the volume describe them.

From the above description it will be noted that the radiator is directly supported from the inner frame, which also serves to support and reinforce the rear wall of the cabinet. The inner frame also assists in the reinforcement of the structure as a whole, thereby permitting the fan and motor assembly to be located in the upper part of the cabinet and to extend beyond the ends of the radiator as is required for a low velocity fan assembly of adequate capacity to handle the air heated by alight weight extended surface radiator of the required dimensions. This arrangement enables the piping and inlet and return connections to be located .close to the floor and within the confines of a cabinet no longer than that required to house the fanassembly, so that the arrangement not only serves to reduce the overall dimensions of the cabinet but also results in a saving'of piping and brings the piping assembly into more compact compass and in a position where it may be easily supported from the floor.

-With the overall dimensions thus reduced, better freedom in the designing of the cabinet may be had, so that the cabinet may be more beautifully and artistically designed than in cases where the interior arrangement of the operating parts necessitated the use of a cabinet of larger dimensions.

While the present device has been described with particular reference to a heating and ventilating unit, obviously the same construction may be used as a cooling system, in which the radiator cools the-air which circulates therethrough. In this case the space occupied by the pipe connections may be used to house the refrigerator equipment.

Although the present design is one which makes use of rounded corners and supporting legs located intermediate the ends, and although details in the framing of the structure and the construction of the cabinet have been fully described, it is to be understood that the invention relates primarily in the re-arrangement of the operating mechanisms in such a way as to permit the supply and retum-pipehonnections to be located beneath the endsof the fan chamber, and that such results may be attained in units otherwise constructed without departing from the principles of the present invention.

I claim:

1. In a'heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet provided in its base portion with an inlet and provided in its top portion with 2. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet provided in its base portion with an inlet and provided in its top portion with a discharge outlet, a radiator located within the cabinet and terminating short of the ends thereof, supply and return pipe connections located at the ends of the radiator and within the confines of the cabinet, a fan within the cabinet and above the radiator for drawing air through the radiator and discharging it through the discharge outlet, and a partition at each end extending from the radiator to the adjacent end of the cabinet for preventing the upfiow of air directly from the spaces'occupied by the pipe connections, each end of the cabinet being in the form of a swinging door hinged to the rear of the cabinet and adapted to swing outwardly to afford access to the space occupied by the pipe connections, and the front of the cabinet being afforded by a removable panel occupying the space intermediate the swinging end doors.

3. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinetprovided in the rear of its base portion with a fresh airinlet and provided with an inlet for the recirculation of indoor air, a radiator extending lengthwise of the cabinet and terminating short of the ends thereof to afford spaces at each end of the radiator for the reception of piping, supply piping located within one of said spaces and connected with the intake end of the radiator, and return piping occupying the other of said spaces and connected with the return end of the radiator, an inner frame on which said radiator is supported, said frame being provided with legs for holding it in elevated relation with respect to the floor, and a fan as sembly comprising a plurality of fan units and a motor, said fan assembly being located in the upper part of the cabinet, and having end units of the assembly extended above the spaces occupied by the pipe connections.

' 4. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet provided in the rear of its,

base portion with a fresh air inlet and provided with an inlet for the recirculation of indoor air, a radiator extending lengthwise of the cabinet and terminating short of the ends thereof to afford spaces at each end of the radiator for the reception of piping, supply piping located within one of said spaces and connected with the intake end of the radiator, and return piping occupying the other of said spaces and connected with the return end of the radiator, an inner frame on which said radiator is supported, said frame being provided with legs for holding it in elevated relation with respect to the floor, and a fan assembly comprising a plurality of fan units and a motor, said fan assembly being located in the upper part of the cabinet, and having end units of the assembly extended above the spaces occupied by the pipe connections, the ends of the cabinet being in the form of swinging doors adapted to swing back to aiford access to the spaces occupied by the piping.

5. In a heating and ventilating unit, the com-- bination of a cabinet comprising a rear wall, a front panel, hingedly mounted end doors, and a top plate provided with discharge apertures for the upward discharge of heated air, a radiator.

mounted within the cabinet intermediate the top plate and bottom of the cabinet and terminating short of the proximate ends of the cabinet, partitions between the ends of the radiator and the adjacent ends of the cabinet, the radiator and partitions defining an intake chamber therebelow and a blower chamber thereabove, and a fan assembly located in the blower chamber and extending across and beyond the radiator for circulating air through the radiator and out through the discharge apertures in the top plate.

6. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet comprising a rear wall, a front panel, hingedly mounted end doors, and a top plate provided with discharge apertures for the upward discharge of heated air, the cabinet being provided in its base portion with a fresh air inlet through the rear wall and a recirculation air inlet through the base, an inner frame, a radiator supported by the inner frame and terminating short of the proximate ends of the cabinet, a fan assembly located above the radiator and having its end units projecting beyond the ends of the radiator, and partitions between the ends of the radiator and the adjacent ends of the cabinet, and supply and return pipe connections located respectively beyond the ends of the radiator and below said partitions.

7. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet comprising a rear wall, a front panel, hingedly mounted end doors, and a top plate provided with discharge apertures for the upward discharge of heated air, the cabinet being provided in its base portion with a fresh air inlet through the rear wall and a recirculation air inlet through the base, aninner frame, a radiator supported by the inner frame and terminating short of the proximate ends of the cabinet, a fan assembly located above the radiator and having its end units projecting beyond the ends of the radiator, and partitions between the ends of the radiator and the adjacent ends of the cabinet, and supply and return pipe connections located respectively beyond the ends of the cabinet and below said partition, the inner frame being provided with means for walling off the end spaces occupied by the piping connections and for affording an inner inlet chamber in communicatir 1 with the fresh air and recirculation air inlets for directing the admitted air upwardly to the radiator.

8. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet provided in'its base portion with an air inlet and provided in its top portion with an air discharge outlet, a radiator extending lengthwise of the cabinet and of relatively shallow cabinet and in the base portion thereof, and said base portion being separated from the upper portion and having communication therewith for the discharge of air thereinto only through the radiator, the upper portion of the cabinet constituting a fan chamber extending from end to end of the cabinet and overlying the space occupied by the radiator and pipe connections, and a fan assembly within the fan chamber for drawing air upwardly through the radiator and discharging air from the discharge outlet.

9. In a heating and ventilating unit, the combination of a cabinet provided in its base portion with an inlet and provided in its top portion with an upwardly directed discharge outlet, a radiator located within the cabinet, supply and return pipe connections leading to the ends of the radiator and located within the confines of the cabinet and a fan within the cabinet above the radiator for drawing air through the radiator and discharging it upwardly through the discharge outlet, means being provided for confining the air admitted through the ut er and directing its pas-' sage upwardly only th ugh the radiator, each end of the cabinet being provided with a door,

fitted to the cabinet and adapted to be opened to afford access to the space occupied by the pipe connections.

' RICHARD H. NELSON 

